Blog Archives

For a long time, I’ve always considered myself a very optimistic person, giving those selected to the position of the American Presidency the chance to prove themselves as a competent leader. For the first 100 days of Trump I did just that. “Nah, he’s not that radical, he’s a real estate mogul wanting to play leader. He won’t do anything.” Well, how wrong I was proven sure struck down my optimism with

You want clean air, clean water and pristine natural wonders? NOPE!

healthy dose of the reality pill.

From the gutting of the EPA and the regulations against pollution to allowing basically any state wishing to make a hefty profit to mine resources off of what was Federally protected lands to the recent push through of the American Healthcare Act yesterday through the House of Representatives. This is by far a recipe for disaster. Not only does it further divide our country along political lines, but it also makes look weak. “Weak?! You’re kidding me, right?” No, I’m not. It’s true along the same reasons why Obama helped destabilize our country into an awkward morass of divisions. This whole Us vs. US thing that politicians do to the average American is simply a play for power. If the people are consistently divided, then politicians can do whatever they want.

So when you have riot on a certain campus ( looking at you Berkley), you feed the antagonism of the political elite (which includes Trump, Pence, Clinton and yes Bernie Sanders). This is what they want! They want us to fight as they sit in their cozy homes watching the plebians fight among themselves. To them, our fighting each other is akin to Americans obsession with reality shows. However, all of this faux rage is just that, it’s fake because if it were genuine it would last longer and actually provide a platform of change. Instead, it divides further and makes the rift between all Americans bigger than the rift in the huge ice shelf about to break off Antarctica. I will state that there are some well-meaning folks in both camps that want to see this country in a better state, but the radicals appropriate the message of peace and unity into an antithetical statement of violence, hatred and fascistic tendencies. Both the Left and the Right are to blame for this. They are both increasingly shifting to fascism. Red fascism (communism) is no different than Right Wing fascism (Alt-Right). It all leads to violence and hate.

Not even a week and the riots have started. I can sympathize with those who PEACEFULLY protest, but when you start attacking people physically and destroying property you lose my sympathy. Violence and hate is not the answer. I understand that people are afraid of what the future holds, however I must ask….where was the outrage when the DNC was outed for sabotaging Bernie Sanders campaign? Where were the Days of Rage then? The system has always been rigged no matter who won. It does not matter if you do not like nor voted for Trump he is our President. These are the same words of wisdom stated by Liberals as a counter for those who didn’t want to accept Barack Obama as our President. However, now it’s different. Now it’s civil unrest for a process that hasn’t changed in over 200 years.

A Peaceful anti-Trump Protest

Word of advice, do something about the Democratic Party or, here’s a better idea, get a Third Party out of obscurity and into the light. Did you know that had more people voted Jill Stein she f she had received at least 5% of the votes it would’ve entitled the Green Party $10 million and recognition as a valid opposing party. But no, both Democrats and Republicans came together and shouted down those who supported Third Party candidates as “waste of votes” and told us to “vote for the lesser evil”. Looks like those mind sets really did you pro-mainstream parties well. Nicely done….thanks.

To those protesting peacefully and with compassion in your heart for your fellow American, I support you and applaud you. To those destroying property and hurt people, I don’t support you. You hurt the movement and make all valid points and arguments invalid with hate and violence.

Let the revolution be a revolution based on love for our fellow human being and American and not hate directed at those who oppose our ideas. Hatred only leads to fascism.

This isn’t about the genetic condition of colorblindness, but rather not acknowledging the importance of ones melanin content of their flesh. Today, being colorblind is somehow akin to denying the existence of racism in America, which is just a bullshit excuse to keep racialism alive and well in the country.

I was raised colorblind and it was quite effective. The idea of “black” and “white” didn’t mean jack shit to me. It made no sense to apply color to a human being. I hung out with “black” kids, “white” kids and even a half Native American kid without ever a thought coming to my mind about how different they were to me. In my mind, they weren’t different. They were kids like me who wanted to have fun and that was it. It wasn’t until high school did the racialist agenda get packed into my skull. Race became important to acknowledge and bow down to. My colorblindness was cast away for awhile as the education system re-educated me on what race meant to others who weren’t lucky enough to escape the shackles of racialism.

Racialism are the shackles that keep us human beings subservient to the ruling elite. It keeps us thoroughly divided without ever truly uniting against the common enemy we all have: the oligarchy. The oligarchy is comprised of the Democrat and Republican parties. Despite their differences on the surface, beneath the exterior of benevolence lies the beating heart of a dark hydra (two heads, same body) that push the racialist agenda onto their constituents. If power comes from unity then the idea of keeping us divided along racial lines is important to the two party oligarchy that seek to rule over us instead of working for us, which is the way it’s supposed to be.

There are those racialists who keep the lie alive by stating that being colorblind is false and denies racism. Being colorblind does not deny racism especially since we live in a racialist society. Anyone who denies that racism exists from all sides of our society are delusional. However, being colorblind and denying the existence of race is the first step in defeating racism. By keeping race alive it keeps us divided along those lines which in turn keeps racism thriving in the deep, dark depths known white nationalism, black nationalism, hispanic nationalism…etc. In order to bring down these walls of separation we have to acknowledge the fact that race doesn’t exist and is simply a byproduct of evolution and nothing more. The melanin content of our skin does not make us any better or any worse than someone with a different melanin skin content. Once we become educated on the facts will we then finally unite as human beings.

Hated… time and time again
Force fed, suppress senseless fear of difference
True self suppression, hollow dreams of misery
Blind wish to see
Indifference to be
Freedom, expressionless bouts of legislation
True self repression, take a stance of fall to your needs
Corrupt in the system
Laws bent to other needs
God fearing idiocy
Ignore just pleas
Blind wish to see
Indifference to be
Concrete hypocrisy
Weigh heavily
Idiosyncrasy
Ruling powers be
Idiosyncrasy
Never really free

by The Germs (Darby Crash, Pat Smear)

The news media are like a pack of sharks circling around waiting for their first sniff of blood in the water. When that blood does seep into the water, the mere thought of a ratings bonanza sends them into frenzy attacking whatever has spilled that blood. This is what we are seeing whenever Trump says something way out in left field. I personally can’t stand Trump. I think he is a phony and a crook. However, I don’t believe he’s stupid as everyone wants to pretend that he is. In fact, I see a very intelligent man who knows how to work the media to do his bidding. Ask yourself this, how do you keep the headlines with your name in it? Establish controversy by saying something so off the wall that the media can’t ignore it. This guy knows the media well since he’s been in it so many times before. He knows how to work the media to keep the limelight on him at all times and thus keeping it off Hillary (unless it’s negative then he lets it be).

I believe the news media is the reason why Trump is, so far, a success. Yes, I blame the media for putting Trump to the forefront of everything. I can’t turn on CNN, MSNBC, FOX or any other news station without being bombarded by Trumps Cheeto tan, raccoon eyes, and ridiculous toupee. I’ve boycotted all news channels because of this. If the media is so inclined to bashing Trump, why are they ignoring the fact that they are giving free air time each time he says something crazy? I seriously doubt the Liberal lean of news media and that what interests them more are ratings rather than political persuasion. If indeed the news media wants to crush Trump then they need only to stop being played by him. We know, though, that they won’t…strike that….they CAN’T resist throwing the limelight on him because, like any addict, they need that ratings fix that is induced by the majority of people who are thrown into a seething anger whenever Trump is mentioned.

This is the media blitz, folks, and it’s tearing our country apart with divisiveness and half truths. Everyone who hasn’t the time to research everything said by every politician simply parrot what the chosen interpretation of a news blurb whether it’s from Trump instigating foreign hackers or the misconstrued idea of “death panels” contained within a healthcare reform legislation. The media tells us what they want us to believe rather than objectively stating the news of the day. Objectivity in the news is long gone and probably will never resurrect from the dead.

I believe it’s every Americans right to arm themselves especially in a world so inclined towards violence. I believe also that we need to use the laws that we already have on the books to make sure that people are safe from gun violence.

I think it’s sexist to tell a woman to use a whistle in the event that she’s about to be assaulted. Women especially should be able to conceal carry a gun as an alternative to the whistle method that anti-Second Amendment would want. Their emotional plea for a gun free society is selfish in that it establishes that since they don’t have gun nor need one that no one else should. Now, there are those who seem anti-gun, but aren’t. Those folks simply want gun laws that protect people from gun violence. In fact, my wife has thought (more so lately with the insanity we’re seeing around the world and in our country) about going through the lengthy process of getting a gun and I can’t blame her. I absolutely support her in doing so. When I can’t be with her at all times, I believe it’s imperative that she keep herself safe whatever way possible. She’s not dumb nor irresponsible so it goes without saying that she would do fine owning a gun.

Those who wish to limit access to guns want to blatantly trample on the Constitution, be my guest because I can guarantee that a majority of Americans are pro-Second Amendment especially witnessing the horrors of the 20th Century when fascist/communist governments disarmed their people in order to have absolute control over the people. What limits should be placed on gun ownership should be a dialog opened up between those want to limits gun ownership and those who don’t. It needs to be civil and without condescending remarks. Without this criteria in place nothing will happen that will appeal to both sides of the aisle.

Watching the insanity of Debbie Wasserman-Schultz dealing with the fallout of her comments on Bernie Sanders and the disunity at the RNC last week, what we’re witnessing is (FINALLY) the fracturing of the two parties dominance over American politics. Since I’ve been politically active I’ve never seen such deep fissures develop within the two major parties. I celebrate these developing fissures because it finally allows for the seeds of Third Parties to take root and grow through. So far, it seems that the Libertarian and Green parties may be able to finally develop momentum to progress and start taking seats of power in DC.

With the apparent sabotage of Bernie Sanders campaign by his own party perhaps we can see him break away from the Democratic Party and take up the reigns of another party that is willing to allow him to do his work in the way he wants to. What happened to Bernie Sanders was the act of a party willing to be tyrannical and unfair in its dealings with those whom they don’t agree with. Bernie Sanders was right from the get go, that the system is rigged and he was the victim of a rigged system within his own party, the Democratic Party.

Ted Cruz, I wonder if he too was the victim of the rigged system within the Republican Party? It would only make sense for the ascension of that Prince of Clowns Donald Trump. Ted Cruz has the integrity to not bow down at the feet of Trump like all of the other fools in Jester Trumps court did at the RNC last week. However, people have called into question the political future of Ted Cruz within the Republican Party. That should concern Ted Cruz very much and should get the gears turning in his head whether or not he should jump off the sinking Republican ship and find a Third Party lifeboat waiting for him nearby.

As centrist I would rather be having an election between Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders. Such an election would make it difficult to figure whom I’ll vote for, but I’d rather have that than having the option of Criminal Hillary or Criminal Trump. The current two choices just make me want to write in George Carlins name rather than have to vote for the Democrat or Republican criminal.

Yes, I relish the deep fissures within both the Democrat and Republican parties because their power over American politics will begin (hopefully) to wane allowing for a Third Party to take up the challenge of leadership in America. A true democracy doesn’t have you choosing trash over garbage. A true democracy allows the trash, garbage and fresh to campaign for leadership. So let both parties fall apart, don’t try to mend them. They must understand that they can’t hold power forever and that eventually their tyranny can end allowing a Third Party into DC.

Having read an article talking about white, hetero, male, cis {add whatever stupid label you wish} privilege, I thought the privilege that ALL Americans share which is First World Privilege. Yes, First World Privilege, the privilege shared by those of all faiths, creeds, color, socio-economic class, gender, orientation and so forth, to complain about their lives being “oppressed” (while not suffering the consequences of what a truly oppressed civilization and people endure, I mean just ask a North Korean or a citizen of Eritrea). An oppressed, truly oppressed, nation and people do not enjoy such privilege. Lets also tack on the access to the plethora of available high tech gadgets such as cellphones, computers, gaming consoles, flat screen TVs and such. A poor nation does not have this privilege. Most citizens in poor countries barely have running water let alone access to the internet.

So, next time someone wants to lecture others on their supposed privilege remember, remember to check your First World Privilege.

This goes Right and Left, none of you are oppressed….except in your minds.

So, with that background in mind, let’s return to the question. Am I attempting to initiate a witch hunt or red scare?

Once again, it’s an issue with usage of language. People in general are turned off by those who attempt to posit that they are more enlightened than others. Please, check your privilege at the door, no one is more or less enlightened due to them agreeing with or disagreeing with your views.

The extreme rhetoric regarding me or this piece is obscuring a much larger issue. As I noted at the beginning of this essay, the information page was presented as a supplementary resource to the article about Augustus Sol Invictus, a known Fascist and New Right candidate who shares much of the same theology and practices as some of the fiercest critics of my piece.

The extreme rhetoric you are receiving is your fault because of your usage of language and the fact that you seemingly did not consult others outside of your boxed in perspective. f you had, people would have told you, “This piece is a bit condescending, might wanna tone it down.” There’s no problem with exiting your box and thinking outside of it. It helps create a peaceful dialog for that I too believe is important to discuss, but not when it seems like an attack instead of an invitation. This is why the United States has an abhorrent racial problem is because both sides of the issue are being condescending towards each other which does nothing but shy people away from the discussion. It’s either their views are treated as Truth or else you’re publicly shamed as a racist/white genocide sympathizer.

There are some deeply difficult questions that we need to ask. Do the gods want us to return to ‘tribal’ societies, do the gods demand we war against Muslims and Atheists and Leftists, do the gods demand we institute strict hierarchies and authority-relationships between priests and the rest of us? And did those gods happen to notice those are the same ideas of the New Right?

You’re assuming that the Gods interventionists in human affairs. Some of us assume that they aren’t interventionists while others believe otherwise. I use the term “assume” because no mortal being can actually “know” what the Gods are thinking or want for us. I assume they just want us to figure human issues out for ourselves and not have the hand of Divine Governance dictating what we should do. That no longer implies freedom, but totalitarianism. The Gods may call, but they can’t dictate want the ultimate outcome of humankind should be. When those believe we are being called to dictate to our fellow human being that the Gods will must be done, then we have a theocracy and theocracies never turn out well.

While I disagree with Rhyd WIldermuth on his execution of the article he wrote, both the original and the rebuttal, I do respect his beliefs and believe his heart may be in the right place as long as he isn’t some infiltrator/witch hunt provoking tyrant. I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt and state that Rhyd WIldermuth isn’t any of the above, but rather a person with a kind heart being vigilant of those who would tarnish the beautiful religions of Paganism for political opportunism. And I am be wrong, who knows? I don’t him to come to any guaranteed conclusion, but until then I stay with my belief that Rhyd is really a good guy who needs to consult more different people to look over his work.

When people say things, it tends to need a mirror held up to it and taken apart. Perhaps this is the scientist in me to inspect the various parts of an idea or article. Recently, this blike named Rhyd Wildermuth painted polytheists in a broad brush stroke and for good reason it sparked the ire of many polytheists. I tackle this is my previous post, which includes a link to the article in question. Rhyd Wildermuth has posted another article titled The Uncomfortable Mirror which I will inspect and take apart.

The information page, called Confronting The New Right, was crafted by me in order to provide more information about the New Right to readers who were unfamiliar with that ideology. I consulted with several others regarding the information therein, who helped refine the language and provided additional resources; however, I claim full responsibility for its contents.

Now, I can respect someone who ends on the note that they take responsibility for their words. I must ask, though, about those others he consulted with. Did they not see the pompous rhetoric that was flowing? I would say perhaps they ignored it because they agreed with it which doesn’t ever help in creating constructive dialog. In order to do so you need to step down from the holier than thou nonsense and come at it with a full spectrum of ideas to posit to the masses. People don’t like being talked down to nor having sweeping generalizations being made. If I were Rhyd, I would have consulted both those who are on the Left and Right that way I establish a better understanding from differing perspectives instead of only gaining insight from one perspective.

While the vitriol and falsehoods contained in some of the critiques make it a little difficult to dissect their arguments, I believe they fall into three categories:
• Guilt by Association: the analysis I provided directly equates Pagan and Polytheist beliefs with the New Right
• Leftist Infiltration: that I am part of a leftist infiltration of Polytheist belief, and not a Polytheist myself.
• “Red Scare” or “Witch Hunt”: by discussing intersections between New Right ideology and some Pagan beliefs, I am attempting to demand ideological or political purity.

I’ve read the article over and over again and it does equate Pagan and Polytheistic beliefs with the New Right. Also, there’s the idea that being apolitical is fascistic in itself, which is nonsense. As a practice, I keep my religion out of my politics just like I keep my religion out of science. I think others would benefit from such an idea, but that’s me. As a former Leftist infiltrating certain groups was always discussed and if applicable encouraged, but such an idea isn’t confined to Leftism, but also Right Wing as well. You can’t blame people who might assume that you’re trying to dismantle Paganism by positing the idea for all of the world to see that basically all Pagan traditions are inherently fascist. It’s bad enough that we get bad press when the media gets the chance and also the long period of climbing our way up from the abyss of history. We have enough struggles as is and to have this hung around necks now is not fair to those of us who don’t perch our personal politics next to the statues of our Gods. If you wish to place your politics next to the Gods, be my guest, but don’t admonish people for not doing the same by calling them closet fascists.

I am also not accusing all polytheists (or anyone else) of being Fascist. If I were, then I would also be a Fascist. The piece I wrote draws no equivalency between specific Pagan-aligned traditions and the New Right. Rather, I draw attention to places where New Right ideology intersects, could influence or currently influences Paganism, including the traditions I am a part of.

Language means a lot and if used properly or improperly can mean different things despite it having the same meaning to it. I can say that I wish to kill myself, but it can differ in context. Maybe I made an error on a test I figuratively want to kill myself and not literal. So with that in mind, the way you utilize language needs to be observed and that’s why consulting with others outside of your boxed in world helps a great deal because then this whole mess could have been avoided. Language, people, language!

Do I put my politics first? I don’t actually know what that means. Do I favor political ideology over what the gods say to me? Do I favor political action over spiritual activities? This is not a question I can answer, because in my world, they inform each other and are inextricably linked. My gods help me understand my relations to politics, and my politics helps me understand my relationship with my gods. There is no wall between them for me.

So in Rhyds world politics and religion goes hand in hand, which sounds much like the problem over in the MidEast with radicals combining religion and politics into the age old concept of theocracy. We Pagans know what happens when theocracies occur, other beliefs seen as heresies are attacked and burned at the stake. However, today the stake is on the internet and public/cyber shaming spectacles are becoming the new normal. I mean if that’s how you conduct your life, so be it, but don’t shame those who are apolitical and have their religion separate from their politics. Some of us prefer walls between our religion and politics.

Or did I, by gathering information about the New Right hold an uncomfortable mirror up to a tradition I am a part of? Have I violated sacred traditions, or merely revealed their political aspects?

No and no, to answer both questions. The mirror isn’t uncomfortable because being a part of quite a few Heathen groups ( one which has been founded by a Jewish convert to our religion) and following many Heathen and Pagan blogs I have seen the arduous task of keeping the fascist element out of our beliefs. We are being scrutinized by various groups such as Leftist ran organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center to Right wing organizations who want to prove that their Christian religion is far more moral than ours. So, we have to, by our own means, fight against the fascist elements attempting to usurp our religion for their political advancement (sound familiar?). While I believe vigilance is important, and that is the ultimate takeaway with Rhyds article, we certainly don’t need to be chided by those who feel like they have to be the impromptu “nannies”.

The ‘Red Scare’ was a time when artists, intellectuals, writers, actors, and many others were investigated by the House UnAmerican Activities Commission, led by Joseph McCarthy and influenced by J. Edgar Hoover and powerful business people. Radicals of all sorts—particularly civil rights activists—were investigated for potential associations with the Communist Party. People with suspected associations with Communist organisations or even sympathies (‘fellow travelers’) were blacklisted from trade unions, actors guilds, publishers, and many other artistic and professional organisations, effectively silencing radical voices for decades.
The Witch Trials have been variously described by many authors, but Feminist author Silvia Federici’s Caliban & The Witch perhaps best elucidates the historical and political processes which led to the arrests, trials, imprisonments, and burnings of heretics and witches.

In regards to the Red Scare and Witch Hunts, isn’t this what you have pretty done yourself with stating that anyone who is apolitical and in disagreement with your views as fascists and agents of the New Right? I believe so. Enough said.

Recently, Wild Bill for America laid out a “plan” to indoctrinate public schools with his vision of monotheistic collectivism. Now what religion a person practices is of no concern to me, but when blast Leftist indoctrination in schools while supporting monotheistic indictrination then I tend to have a problem. Remember these are the same people who say take responsibility for your own children and that public schools shouldn’t be some daycare that does your job as parents for you. While I doubt such a plan would ever take hold in any sane society, it does show how the extreme Right is willing to negate their own beliefs for the sake of their own brand of collectivism. Collectivism, as any ideology becomes extreme, will rear its head no matter if it is radical Leftism or radical Rightism. Wild Bill, Trump and their cohorts want to impose on our society their version of collectivism. I am againsy nonsense like this since it is the antithesis of freedom and what our Constitution stands for. Wild Bill for America and Trump are both anti-freedom collectivists that should be challenged at every turn.

Blog containing my rituals and practices. I follow the Norse gods, but am neither a Wiccan nor a strict reconstructionist. My focus is on the spiritual, mystical, and magickal aspects of Heathenism and forms of practice that make Heathenism valid for the modern times, and present day needs, and as a path towards enlightenment and spiritual growth.

Posts and ramblings of Aquarium-loving South African Asatruar/Heathen Karl Andresson. Will post anything that may tickle my fancy. Original posts as well as many reblogs. All media belong to their respective owners - unless stated otherwise, and will be removed if the owners show any objections as to the use of their property.